Explosive growth in computer networks in the last two decades has changed the uses of computers dramatically. The largest computer network, commonly known as the Internet or World Wide Web (“WWW”), is now connecting millions of computers in the world, providing services like e-mail, file transfer, and hypermedia information retrieval across different computer platforms. Also, small mobile computing devices, such as personal desktop assistants including hand-held and palm-type computers and the like, are becoming more popular for use by business people and others who must travel, and thus cannot readily access information stored on their desktop computer or office network workstation. Although laptop computers are capable of running virtually all of the application programs that execute on desktop machines, laptop computers are often either too large and/or too heavy to carry around.
Increasingly, users of small mobile computing devices are able to connect to computer networks such as the Internet. However, applications designed for desktop computers are not always well suited for smaller computing devices. For example, a Web browser is an application designed to download, upload, display, or otherwise access resources available from computer networks. Some Web browsers are text-based—meaning that they do not display graphics or images. However, most popular Web browsers provide a graphical interface that allows users to click buttons, icons, and menu options to view and navigate Web pages. Graphically-based Web browsers designed for desktop and laptop computing devices are not made for small-screen computing devices because, among other reasons, they display content at a magnification that is too large for small screens.
Web browsers designed for small mobile computing devices are currently available. However, Web pages are often designed with desktop screen resolutions in mind. For example, Web pages are typically formatted for a predetermined page width and/or include a multicolumn layout. On a small-screen computing device with an existing Web browser, these types of pages require users to scroll excessively in order to view content. To reduce the need for scrolling and provide a context for viewing, a “zoomed-out” version of a Web page with reduced magnification may be provided. However, Web pages displayed at a reduced magnification may be small and difficult to view.
In light of the above-identified problems, it would be beneficial to have a system that allows users of small, mobile computing devices to easily view Web pages designed with desktop screen resolutions in mind. The present invention is directed to providing such a system.